UK).- The British Gambling Commission announced that it was considering restrictions on the type of bets bookmakers are allowed to offer.

UK's five major sports have formed a lobbying group to tackle the issue.

It said that it was one of a number of proposals under consideration aimed at boosting the integrity of the betting industry. The government watchdog was responding to calls from the UK's five major sports : football, cricket, tennis, rugby league and rugby union that have formed a lobbying group to tackle the issue. They are arguing that 'novelty' bets, such as minute of the first yellow card, make corruption easier as it only includes a few people and is more difficult to prove.

Bookmakers are resisting the proposal, claiming that there is no evidence of widespread cheating on novelty bets. They are also saying that as betting is now an international industry and customers will use offshore sites via the internet regardless of restrictions.